xii, 207 pages ; 20 x 21 cm ABSTRACT: Studies on adult learning projects are synthesized to focus on how adults behave while planning their learning projects. Three themes of adult learning are discussed: 1) how the learner decides whether and what to learn, and why; 2) how the learner plans learning episodes or seeks assistance in planning; and 3) what help the learner seeks and obtains with various preparations for learning. Innovative programs and procedures that agencies and institutions can use to help the adult learner are suggested. The need for further studies, research, and development projects is emphasized Includes bibliographical references (pages 199-205) Focusing on highly deliberate efforts to learn : The central focus: all of the adult’s learning projects ; How common and important are these learning efforts? ; Children and adolescents ; The scope of the book -- Episodes and learning projects : Episodes ; Very deliberate learning episodes ; Our central focus ; Learning projects -- How common and important are learning projects? : The 1970 survey ; Children and adolescents ; Needed research ; Earlier studies ; High learners ; Comparing other sorts of learning ; All ways of learning and changing are important -- What people learn : An emphasis on use and application ; Deriding one type of subject matter or motivation ; The usefulness of learning projects in a changing society ; Further explorations that are needed -- Why people learn : Our approach ; Overview ; The intention of using the knowledge and skill ; Imparting the knowledge and skill ; Future understanding or learning ; Pleasure and self-esteem from possession ; Learning for credit ; Immediate benefits ; Further work -- Deciding to begin : How thoughtful and successful are these decisions? ; The preparatory steps ; Actual help ; Additional needed help ; Moving toward better help ; Developing competence at goal-setting ; Further research and development -- Choosing the planner : The concept of the planner ; Distinguishing different types of planners ; Preparatory steps ; The learner’s considerations ; Better help and competence ; Further research -- How common and important is each type of planner? : Which type of planner do people choose? ; Comparing the four types of planners -- Self-planned learning : Why is self-planned learning so popular? ; What steps does the learner take? ; How competent is the planning? ; Amount of help with planning ; How does the learner seek help? ; What resources does the learner use? -- Improving self-planned learning : Getting help is often difficult ; What goes wrong? ; What can we do about these difficulties? ; Developing competence at planning ; Better help with the planning ; Better resources for the learning itself ; Helping the learner choose his learning resources -- When a nonhuman resource serves as planner : Some examples of nonhuman planners ; Some characteristics of an object as the planner -- Learning projects planned by a person in a one-to-one relationship : Some variables ; Some advantages ; The negative side ; What process does the planner follow? -- A group or its leader as planner : Attractive characteristics of learning groups ; Negative characteristics of learning in groups ; A variety of formats ; Autonomous learning groups -- Practical implications for institutions and instructors : Provide new help ; Help teachers learn ; Emphasize three objectives ; Help the instructor feel equal ; Increase the student’s choice of how he learns ; Increase the student’s choice of what he learns ; Experiment with group help for self-planned learning ; Reduce the emphasis on credit ; Do not rely on a single institution -- What needs to be done? : Suggestions from earlier chapters ; Some particular fields ; A personal note ; Adulting learning in the future Focusing on highly deliberate efforts to learn : The central focus: all of the adult’s learning projects ; How common and important are these learning efforts? ; Children and adolescents ; The scope of the book -- Episodes and learning projects : Episodes ; Very deliberate learning episodes ; Our central focus ; Learning projects -- How common and important are learning projects? : The 1970 survey ; Children and adolescents ; Needed research ; Earlier studies ; High learners ; Comparing other sorts of learning ; All ways of learning and changing are important -- What people learn : An emphasis on use and application ; Deriding one type of subject matter or motivation ; The usefulness of learning projects in a changing society ; Further explorations that are needed -- Why people learn : Our approach ; Overview ; The intention of using the knowledge and skill ; Imparting the knowledge and skill ; Future understanding or learning ; Pleasure and self-esteem from possession ; Learning for credit ; Immediate benefits ; Further work -- Deciding to begin : How thoughtful and successful are these decisions? ; The preparatory steps ; Actual help ; Additional needed help ; Moving toward better help ; Developing competence at goal-setting ; Further research and development -- Choosing the planner : The concept of the planner ; Distinguishing different types of planners ; Preparatory steps ; The learner’s considerations ; Better help and competence ; Further research -- How common and important is each type of planner? : Which type of planner do people choose? ; Comparing the four types of planners -- Self-planned learning : Why is self-planned learning so popular? ; What steps does the learner take? ; How competent is the planning? ; Amount of help with planning ; How does the learner seek help? ; What resources does the learner use? -- Improving self-planned learning : Getting help is often difficult ; What goes wrong? ; What can we do about these difficulties? ; Developing competence at planning ; Better help with the planning ; Better resources for the learning itself ; Helping the learner choose his learning resources -- When a nonhuman resource serves as planner : Some examples of nonhuman planners ; Some characteristics of an object as the planner -- Learning projects planned by a person in a one-to-one relationship : Some variables ; Some advantages ; The negative side ; What process does the planner follow? -- A group or its leader as planner : Attractive characteristics of learning groups ; Negative characteristics of learning in groups ; A variety of formats ; Autonomous learning groups -- Practical implications for institutions and instructors : Provide new help ; Help teachers learn ; Emphasize three objectives ; Help the instructor feel equal ; Increase the student’s choice of how he learns ; Increase the student’s choice of what he learns ; Experiment with group help for self-planned learning ; Reduce the emphasis on credit ; Do not rely on a single institution -- What needs to be done? : Suggestions from earlier chapters ; Some particular fields ; A personal note ; Adulting learning in the future